Stratosphere Closure
by Bkipper
Summary: After watching the new episode Stratosphere, I had to add some closure to some parts between my favorite paring. AXP oneshot


OMG! I just saw the new episode of Storm Hawks on You tube! HOLY CRAP, it was awesome! It's called Stratosphere, the 29th episode… The beginning is actually a part in the episode (the ending …) Aerrow is out on the _Condor_'s balcony and Piper joins him. The light and camera angles are fantastic. The atmosphere in the scene is so soft and beautiful…. I just wanted to add on to it using other parts from this episode, 'cause I liked it so much!

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"_Aerrow? I hope I'm not interrupting…"_

"_No not at all."_

"_You really did it."_

"_I guess so."_

"_What was it like?"_

"_Its- hard to find the words."_

"_Who needs words. At least you got pictures, right?" _

"I'm just busting you, Aerrow." Piper assured when Aerrow frowned and turned away. She said nothing afterward, knowing that he was a little disappointed with himself for not getting her those shots.

"Don't you feel so small looking up there?" Her voice rang out again, trying to get his voice to chime along. Aerrow gave a noise of agreement, staring above. The light behind him shadowed his face handsomely, the light contouring his cheekbones and skimming every lock of fiery red hair. It made her smile cheerlessly for a second, her thoughts fading to a more solemn topic.

"I-I thought we lost you up there, Aerrow…" Piper's thoughts erupted into the sky, Aerrow craning his head at her. She had her eyes locked on him, the soft orange not comforted by the current company. "We- I… It was all my fault. I'm sorry."

"For what?" Aerrow gave her a look that questioned sanity, Piper only frowning more.

"You know… I miscalculated. I messed up the numbers! So much was at stake here, and I couldn't get my part of the mission done…" Piper breathed out, Aerrow letting her trail off. The sky knight had a feeling she needed to say more, that the one thought that was nagging her was about to come out. He just didn't know how deep and sorrowful it was.

"I-I thought I killed you, Aerrow."

Aerrow couldn't fathom what she was expressing to him, the boy lost for words, if he hadn't been already. His chest filled with the crisp night air, then deflated without a sound. Piper faced the sky, Atmos's guardian winking back through his starlight. Aerrow caught the glimmer of the stars in her unsuccessfully quelled tears, the water filling up the eyes without her consent.

"W-we had to think on our feet, and you did what you could. No one on our team could do that kind of math but you, and its only human error, Piper. And its only one-" Aerrow tried to comfort her in the way he had always thought succeeded; reasoning. But she, hiding her face with her navy bangs, had lost her sense of reason on this topic once he had been returned to strong earth and familiar sky.

"It wasn't the math that worried me Aerrow…" Piper cut him off with a surprisingly quiet voice filled with enough sound to silence him. "It was your life." She twisted around to look at him once more, her eyes fighting faintly with the tears. "Your life. Your life…" The girl repeated, as if the mere fact of him made the problem only harder to solve.

"I trust you with it, remember? I said so." Aerrow promised, the two recalling the statement he had made up in space.

"I just wish that I had made this one error on some small experiment or something, Aerrow…" Piper blinked rapidly, torn between letting the tear travel down her smooth, crestfallen face or turn away from him. She refused to look away from Aerrow, the boy forced to see the tear take it course.

Aerrow's face slanted down bashfully as one of his gloved hands, with utmost caution, clumsily wiped the tear from her cheek. His thumb let the salty water whisk off into the air, his hand drawing back to him in a quick manner. It was a shaky, awkward act of affection between two children, as if trying out a new sensation consciously unknown to both of them. Her eyes lost the sad glimmer for a second, Aerrow believing his weird impulse had brought some comfort to her. But she only broke down far worse than the first time, the boy not understanding, only stumbling to figure it out.

"I'm so sorry… I-I didn't mean to. I- Piper, my hand… I won't-" He babbled. Piper shook her head, signifying it was not his tender action that had saddened her so.

"_**I'm**_ sorry! I shouldn't bring this to you…" Piper pulled away, her hands covering her face. She made to rush off the deck with any matter of dignity she could gather, but someone stopped her.

"I don't know what it is, Piper…" Aerrow confessed, the girl he had by the wrist trying to fix her face. "But I want to know."

"Know what?" She curiously sobbed, her tears finally conquered for a wonderful minute.

"Why are you so upset about your mistake? I make mistakes all the time; Stork does, Junko does, Radarr does, even Finn… Well, mostly Finn." Aerrow gingerly smiled, trying to get her to do the same. She complied, giving him one of the smallest smiles she had even composed. His eyebrows fell, another frown gracing his lips. "What is it, Piper?" His voice was so soft like hers had been, the simple power within it pushing her eyes upward in her companion's direction.

"You."

Another short answer baffled him! His hand slipped on her wrist, Piper absentmindedly pulling closer so he would not have to hold her. Her other hand rested on top of his, both not knowing if it was to pull his hand off, or for comfort.

Aerrow pulled himself together quickly enough, looking down to her as he started to be aware of her reasons. He always was taller than her, he reminded himself randomly.

"My life was in you hands… And you thought you let it slip through because you weren't careful enough." He figured, the light taking a similarly beautiful effect on her now that they could calmly analyze each other. Piper's small nod let the light bounce hastily to wrap around her face and allowed her eyes to glow like the thousands of constellations hovering above them. The orange was on a slightly lighter color now, no longer darkened by her inner turmoil. It made him carelessly smile, the impulse too great.

"I said I trust you with my life, and I do, Piper. I can only trust this team to make the same promise." He secured in her mind, his green eyes firmly set on hers. "And I'm still here, aren't I? Everything's fine, we disarmed Cyclonis's weapon, and no one died." Aerrow almost considered leaving the last part out, but reasoned that she needed to hear it. It helped a bit, for her smile grew like a flower, her lips caressed softly by the light reaching out from behind them.

"I suppose…" Piper agreed, her navy hair rustling above her eyes in a flattering manner as his did. She looked up at him, idly remembering how he always was taller than her. Her chest rose and fell with cool air, her breath hitting his neck and chin as it faded into the night. It made him catch his breath as well for reasons he did not yet recognize. "Thank you."

"It's what I'm here for." Aerrow smiled brightly, the caution in his eyes still great.

"No, Aerrow…" Piper let her hands fall from his, the warmth leaving her fingers as the sun had left the sky. But her eyes did not leave his as she boldly stated: "You're here for much more than you know."


End file.
